Aqutalion's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.4
- Helpful Votes:60
- Reviews Submitted:19
- First Review:October 20, 2014
- Most Recent Review:November 24, 2019
- Featured reviews0
When a notorious poacher steals every animal off a reserve, FEMA calls in the Rescue Team! Save the day in the time management rescue mission.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
The devs phoned this one in.
PostedNovember 24, 2019
Aqutalion
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
This wasn't a *bad* game, by any stretch. I don't regret buying it, and I'll probably replay it if I get bored with the first 7 games. But everything about it just seems embarassingly low-effort, compared to previous games.
The main problem is that they've tried to force an overarching storyline on it, involving rescuing animals from poachers. Not a bad thing, per se, but it forces the entire game to revolve around the two new units introduced: a veterinarian (basically like the doctor, but for animals), and a "animal protector". Because of this, the variety we liked in the previous games is all but gone. Most of a nifty game mechanics that made the RT series stand out are either missing, or only given a token level. There are no volcano levels, no earthquakes, no boat rescues, no wildfire levels (my favorite :( ), no fog levels. The dogs and police get plenty of use, but everything else gets one level, maybe two, pushed aside in favor of yet more running to retrieve stray pandas.
So why do I say this is low-effort?
First, the translation is... weird. It's obvious that they didn't have a native english speaker read over it before pushing it out, resulting in some odd lines. Why "animal protector", as opposed to "conservationist" or "game warden"? Not a huge problem, as this isn't really a game one would play for the storyline, but it grated on me.
Despite the lack of wildfire levels, "Fires spread slower" is still available as a bonus to buy. It does nothing. Did no one notice this? It's a pretty glaring error to let through.
The gameplay is so, so easy. Previous entries in the series would require you to strategize and plan what to build when, how to time your resource pickups and bonus usage. Only one level in this game required any kind of strategy. The rest could be solved by just gathering everything as quickly as possible.
The CE bonuses consist of some extra levels- which, granted, aren't terrible- and nothing else.
I'm checked the "recommended" box because there's no neutral option. It's not bad, but it's not particularly good, either. Buy it on sale or wait until you have a free coupon.
I recommend this game!
In this time management classic, stop a mad scientist who's replicating the most destructive forces in nature!
Overall rating
2
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Rescue Team has apparently jumped the shark
PostedNovember 24, 2019
Aqutalion
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I bought this without playing first, since there was a sale on and this was one of my favorite game series. Overall, I wish I hadn't. Here is why.
1. The art style has changed. That's neither good nor bad in and of itself, but the new style is cartoony, cluttered and oversaturated.The over-bright colors made for very little visual distinction between the background and playable elements, which got annoying fast. The art style itself isn't bad, and would do fine with a more fantasy- or comic-themed series, but it just does not fit well with Rescue Team, IMO, and the mismatch was distracting. Same with the music. Nice, but distractingly at odds with the mood of the game. At least they kept the sound effects, so there's that.
2. A mad scientist storyline? WHY? Did it need this? The poacher storyline in #8 did not do it any favors, and apparently they did not learn from that mistake.
3. THE POPUPS! Huge, bouncy popups with large, unnecessary text come up whenever you mouse over anything, whether you want it or not. I spent a good chunk of playing time trying to where to put the mouse cursor so I could actually see the board. If they'd been half the size, it would have been just fine. We don't need to know that we need 1 worker to pick up a pile of wood. "10 (10 seconds) + 20 (20 seconds)" in large font, blocking a good chunk of the screen? How did this make it through playtesting?
4. Clutter, clutter, clutter. Adding in the veterinarian and "animal protector" units in #8 caused some of the more interesting mechanics that made the series unique, like moving fog blocking part of the board, disease outbreaks, and spreading fires, to be neglected or cut out, entirely. And here, they've done it again. Now we have a "store" and an investigator unit. Meh.
5. Easy, basic gameplay. Once you get used to the cartoony artwork and figure out how to see the screen around the annoying popups, the gameplay is very obvious and very, very easy. The tricky, precise strategies of #6 and #7 are gone. No more figuring out in what order to build things and how to time the resource gathering. Here, you just collect the materials and use them where the game and it's giant popups tell you to, like any generic TM game.
In short, just skip this one. It's just a generic TM game with the Rescue Team name tacked on. Maybe the next one will go back to what made the first 7 games stand out so much.
I don't recommend this game.
Join the Viking Brothers on an all-new, humor-filled adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
Doesn't quite measure up
PostedMarch 29, 2017
Aqutalion
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I loved the first Viking Brothers game. To be fair, this is a decent game, too. I'll most likely end up buying it, but I'll probably wait for a BOGO sale instead of buying it right away like I planned. It just didn't grab me like its predecessor.
Some of the changes:
The music now switches in the middle of levels- so annoying!
Levels are shorter. VB1 had many levels that lasted 10+ minutes, even if you were going for gold. I like long levels that you can think about and sink your teeth into. These weren't that.
The bonuses are handled differently. In VB1, they were things your workers had to clear the path to and activate, and there was that little extra bit of challenge. Now you just have to wait for them. Meh.
And if that wasn't easy enough, there's a little goldfish that speeds up the bonus timer. Cute, I guess.
Resources from stores are now collected automatically. It makes the game easier, I guess, but whether that's an improvement or not depends on your taste.
The two brothers are now playable, with special abilities. This, at least, was an improvement.
Different art style. Not upgraded, IMHO, just different.
Overall, I got the impression that it was trying to be another Northern Tale, and IMHO that was a mistake. Did they have a different group of devs working on it or something? Still not a bad game, and I do still recommend it, but I was disappointed by it.
I recommend this game!
Can you escape the mysterious musician’s melody?
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Good, but not great
PostedApril 7, 2016
Aqutalion
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
To be fair, although I love Mad Head games, Cadenza is my least favorite series of theirs. This did nothing to change my opinion.
I'm not saying this was a bad game. It wasn't bad, at all. The puzzles were excellent as always. The HO scenes were solid. But in everything else, it just wasn't up to par with Mad Head's previous offerings.
There wasn't any of the fourth-wall-breaking playing around with the game structure seen in the Dark Realm and Beyond games. Although, to be honest, I don't remember seeing those in the previous Cadenza games, either, so maybe that's not a fair comparison.
The music. Normally, I absolutely LOVE the music in Mad Head games, so much so that I usually break out the good noise-cancelling headphones when playing them. The music in this one was completely forgettable- except for the "three amigos" song (A.K.A. "Look how totally in Cuba we are, guys!"), which made me embarrassed for the singer, having to sing those hacky lyrics.
The story? Eh. Basically the same as the first two. Someone's using music to avenge a past wrong, and the main character must find out who and why. But what irritated me is that there's a major plot point regarding a character's involvement in a serious crime, which everyone, including the police, decide to ignore, for no apparent reason.
The bonus chapter was really disappointing, mainly because it neither made any sense nor connected with anything in the main story. It involves the hero wanting to marry his true love- a minor character in the main story, who we saw maybe twice. His opponent is the true love's childhood friend, who we did not see in the main story at all. After assaulting the hero and kidnapping the hero's intended at knifepoint, he just decides to give up and cry in the corner after nothing more than a stern talking-to from the hero. Huh? Seriously?
Is it mean-spirited of me to hope that this was just a filler release, to tide their fans over until the next NeverTales or Dark Realm game?
I recommend this game!
The kingdom is under threat from pirates! Sail to the farthest islands to save your sister and become hero of the kingdom.
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Yay!
PostedApril 7, 2016
Aqutalion
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Yay, a sequel! I was really, really looking forward to this, and it did not disappoint. If you liked the first one, you will like this one more. Bigger world, better story, more skills to learn, more items to find, more quests to do. Some have multiple ways to complete them, too.
If you're not familiar with the first game, this is a basically a point-and-click adventure. Not a HOPA, but closer to an RPG. There's a pretty strong resource management aspect, too, as most of the quests involve finding the objects and ingredients necessary to complete the task, and getting some ingredients require collecting other ingredients first. As you might expect, there's a lot of back-and-forth between locations, but there's a map that can transport you.
But once again, BFG has miscategorised it. At least "strategy" is a closer match than "time management".
Here's hoping for a third one!
I recommend this game!
Northern Tale 2
Defeat a great evil threatening the Vikings and help the king restore his domain to its former glory.
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Fun, but I still prefer the first one.
PostedApril 2, 2016
Aqutalion
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
There's a few changes here, but overall, it's basically the same as the first. I wouldn't necessarily mind that- I loved the first NT game, and would have loved some more levels for it. But most of the changes aren't really upgrades.
The main issue I have is that the levels are too big to fit on the screen, and you have to move your cursor to the top or bottom to scroll. That seems like a strange choice for a T.M. game with such short levels. Things happen offscreen, and you can't react to them unless you think to scroll. The tutorial tips didn't mention this, either- I only found it by accident when I moved my cursor to the edge of the screen. Why not make it a little smaller and have the whole thing on screen?
I didn't think the 3D graphics were much of an upgrade. Only the characters and water are 3D, and I thought they looked weird and out of place next to the (still very good) 2D backgrounds.
All in all, this game isn't all that bad, but it just didn't grab me like the first. I could play NT1 for hours, but I get bored with this after only a level or two.
I recommend this game!
The royal couple's honeymoon turns sour when an evil lord enters the picture, and now it's up to you to rescue them (or laugh trying)!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Fun game!
PostedMarch 31, 2016
Aqutalion
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
I loved this game. I'd had a barrel of fun on the first one, so I was really happy to see a sequel. I hope they do more, too. The story is fun, and the gameplay is fun. It's nice to see games that focus on humor and actually do a good job of it. It's not for HO fans, though, as there aren't any. This is an adventure game, not a HOPA.
It's also nice to see a dev that still takes the time to draw their characters instead of using actors or waste space on bland voiceovers (I know, I'm probably alone in thinking that). The characters and art have personality and a distinctive style, and it fits in well with the tone of the game. Kudos for that!
So I recommend both this game and the first one, and I hope they'll continue making them.
I recommend this game!
Help rebuild Candy Land in Sweetest Thing, a sugar-coated time management game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Cute, but not without bugs
PostedNovember 18, 2015
Aqutalion
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I'm easy to please, when it comes to builder-type TM games, so I had fun with it. Cute graphics. The levels had hidden things to find, which is a nice extra.
However, it's not without flaws. Most of the ones I found were minor, although there were enough of them that it got on my nerves a little. There are a lot of what I assume were translation errors (candy canes are called chocolate, candy cane mines are called jelly mines). Many text windows are completely empty, although if you don't care about the story, this probably won't bother you.
I did not like the character voices, at all, but you can turn them off, so no big deal.
It has an issue that's a bit of a pet peeve of mine- it's possible to get into a state where it is impossible to finish a level, at all.
Overall, it's cute and mostly fun, if you like these kind of games. If they fix the bugs and polish it up, it'll be a decently solid game. I'll probably end up getting it, but I think I'll wait until I have a free-game coupon to use.
I recommend this game!
Your home has been raided. Your father is missing. Set off on a dangerous journey to save him, and become the Hero of the Kingdom!
Overall rating
5
/
5
What a treat.
PostedOctober 19, 2015
Aqutalion
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Strategy
I'm not sure why they put this in the Time Management section, as there's no time management aspect to it, at all. It's an adventure game. Not an HO-type, but more like an RPG. It's quite different from the usual BG fare, and in a good way, IMHO.
The basic gameplay involves moving about between map screens, which are gradually revealed throughout the game. You collect or buy items and use them to fulfill the tasks the people you meet give you. Some of them are tricky to spot, too. Along the way, you acquire some companions, and skills that unlock other items to find. It's all very low-key and laid-back. There's no time limit on anything. I had only one complaint about the game, and it's minor- you can't see your character on the screen. I would have liked to be able to. Just my personal preference.
All in all, a very nice, relaxing game. If you like games like Wandering Willows or the Adelantado Trilogy, you'll probably like this, too. Please give us more like this, Big Fish!
The basic gameplay involves moving about between map screens, which are gradually revealed throughout the game. You collect or buy items and use them to fulfill the tasks the people you meet give you. Some of them are tricky to spot, too. Along the way, you acquire some companions, and skills that unlock other items to find. It's all very low-key and laid-back. There's no time limit on anything. I had only one complaint about the game, and it's minor- you can't see your character on the screen. I would have liked to be able to. Just my personal preference.
All in all, a very nice, relaxing game. If you like games like Wandering Willows or the Adelantado Trilogy, you'll probably like this, too. Please give us more like this, Big Fish!
I recommend this game!
Beyond: Light Advent Collector's Edition
Beyond the sky lies a thrilling adventure... and a deadly threat!
Overall rating
5
/
5
15 of 17 found this review helpful
Loved it!
PostedJuly 27, 2015
Aqutalion
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Mad Head is quickly becoming my favorite dev. This is a wonderful game. The story had me hooked almost immediately. The graphics are intricate and beautiful- not too realistic, not too cartoony. The music, as well, was beautiful. I usually turn off the VOs, but this one didn't make want to do that.
The game mechanics and style are almost identical to those in the Nevertales and Dark Realms games. (I think I caught a bit of the Nevertales theme song in the BG music. Hehe. I see what you did there, Mad Head.) This includes some of the fourth-wall-breaking messing around with the game structure that I liked so much in Dark Realms.
Good variety of puzzles and types of HOs. I thought the puzzles were a bit easy, but they were still fun.
The only thing resembling a complaint that I have is the ending of the bonus chapter. It veers into the supernatural a bit, which didn't really fit in with the rest of the game, IMHO.
I hope we see more of Nix and Iridessa in the future.
I recommend this game!